25 Days of Christmas Cookies: Day 24 Dark Chocolate Cranberry Almond Cookies

I forgot to share with you yesterday that a lot of these cookies can be mixed up ahead of time and scooped out and frozen.  It is really nice to have cookies ready to bake in the freezer.  Company comes over and you can pop some cookie dough in the oven and have fresh cookies in no time.  Things get hectic during the holidays.  Mixing up some of these cookies ahead of time when you are not busy will really help you during the holidays.  I have tried it this year.  I will let you know after Christmas how it worked.  Here is another cookie that is sure to be a family favorite.  The are chocked full of all kinds of goodness. 

Another demo cookie for you.  I spent an afternoon baking up one cookie at a time for their photo op.

Cranberries, almonds and chocolate.  What could be wrong with that.

Start with 3/4 cup softened butter

3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup sugar

Beat until fluffy

Add 1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.  I like cinnamon so the teaspoon isn't leveled.

1 teaspoon cornstarch.  I am finding cornstarch in more and more cookie recipes.

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups + 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour.  Mix well.

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup slivered almonds.  You can chop the almonds if you have whole almonds

6 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped.  I used chips so I didn't chop them.

Mix well.

These cookies got scooped and put in the freezer as well.  When ready bake these at 350 for 11-13 minutes.  If frozen they might take an extra minute. 

Then enjoy your cookies. 

Dark Chocolate Cranberry Almond Cookies Recipe

2 cups +2 Tablespoons all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup softened butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

6 oz bittersweet chocolate

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup slivered almonds

Bake 350 for 11-13 minutes.

25 Days of Christmas Cookies:Day 25 Brownie Walnut Chunk Cookies

Today is the first day of my 25 days of Christmas cookies.  I hope you will like what I am sharing with you.  Today's offering is a new cookie.  Some days there will be new cookies and some days will be some old favorites.  Create some family memories this season by making some cookies together.  Or make some cookies to share with friends and family. Please share these recipes with some of your cookie loving friends. 

You know the first cookie has to be a chocolate cookie.  I pulled out a couple of my pretty Christmas plates to show off the cookies.  I only baked one at this time to show you what they look like. 

This recipe is full of chocolaty goodness.  I forgot and even left out the cocoa powder.  The cookies are good without it. 

Before you get ready to start on the cookies you need to do a step first.  You need to melt 2 four oz bars of semi sweet chocolate.  You will need to break or chop it.  You can melt it in a double broiler or in the microwave.  I chose the microwave.  Melt at 20 second increments.  Stir after each 20 seconds until it is all melted.

When it is completely melted set it aside to cool.  You don't want to put the hot chocolate in the cookie batter.

Start with 1/3 cup softened butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar. Mix until fluffy.

Add 2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt.  Mix well.

Add the cooled chocolate to the mix.

1 cup all purpose flour.  This is where you were suppose to add 1/3 cup cocoa powder.

1 cup chopped walnuts and 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips.  The walnuts add a different texture to the cookies.  I think we get use to using pecans all the time.

I scooped them up on a parchment lined cookie sheet and put them in the freezer to chill.  I then put them in a freezer zip lock bag labeled with the cookie name and the time and temperature to be baked.  These cookies are baked in a preheated 350 oven for 11-12 minutes.  It might take an additional minute if they are frozen.

This is a nice brownie consistency cookie.  It is a nice addition to your holiday cookies.  I think Santa would enjoy this cookie on Christmas Eve.

Brownie Walnut Chunk Cookies Recipe

2 four oz semi sweet chocolate bars chopped
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup softened butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips.
Preheat oven to 350 bake 11-12 minutes

Pumpkin Earthquake Cake

Earthquake cakes are fun to make because they don't have to be iced and they don't look perfect and that is the way it is suppose to look.  This is a perfect fall earthquake cake because pumpkin is the main ingredient.  I think you will enjoy it.  This recipe is made in four steps. 

This is a nice moist cake. 

I know it looks like a lot of ingredients but it really isn't.  You can make it in two shakes of a lambs tail.

Start with 1/2 cup shredded coconut

Sprinkle it in the bottom of a sprayed 9x13 baking dish.

Then 1/2 cup of pecans.  Chop them roughly.

Sprinkle in the bottom of the pan with the coconut.  End of step one.

Start with a yellow cake mix

Add 3 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup oil

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Mix that well.

Pour on top of the coconut and pecans.  End of Step 2.

You can use the same bowl.  No reason to mess up another one.  Place 8 oz softened cream cheese.

Place the cream cheese in the microwave for 1 minute to make it super soft.

Add 3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup melted butter.

Mix that well.

Then drop the mixture by tablespoonful into the cake batter.

Then use a knife to swirl it around in the batter.

End of step 3.

Now add 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips.  End of step 4.  See it was really easy.  Place in a preheated 350 oven.  Bake for 30-40 minutes.  The center will look like it isn't completely done.

All done.  Looks like the cake went through an earthquake.  Serve it warm.  You could serve with ice cream if you like. Whipped cream might be good too. 

It's good warm but it is good at room temp too.  You will probably want to put it in the fridge after a day.

Pumpkin Earthquake Cake Recipe

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped pecans

For the cake

1 yellow cake mix

3 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup oil

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Filling

8 oz softened cream cheese

1/2 cup melted butter

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Bake for 30-40 minutes.